Front lower ball joint cover replacement
 

I’ve read through the how to’s, but have a couple of questions

Is a 18mm flexi head spanner essential. I have just about every other type of spanner and socket, including crows feet sockets, but not a flexi head ratchet spanner.

Will I need to have wheels realigned? I’ve only just bought it, so may well get alignment checked anyway.

Thanks

The 18mm flexi head ratchet spanner is worth its weight in gold for the rear bushes on the front arm, nothing special needed to access the ball joint cover.

The how to on the forum says you need to undo the rear bush carrier to allow the arm to swing down low enough to separate from where it’s held by the pinch bolt. So I guess I’d best invest in some nice shiny new spanners.

That is completely incorrect, there is more than adequate clearance to separate the lower arm from the swivel hub without undoing the rear bush from the subframe.

A different matter if the whole arm is to be replaced of course ;)

To separate the joint, equip yourself with a 65mm exhaust clamp U bolt, undo the pinch bolt and remove, fasten the U bolt loosely around the bottom of the arm, then thread a pinch bar or similar long bar though the U bolt and the bottom of the arm, and then tighten the U bolt up finger tight.

Tap a large flat screwdriver into slitted part of the hub joint, then stand on the end of the bar, and the joint will separate.

The trick with separating parallel joints like this, is keeping the pin parallel when you dismantle, and reassembling them, and if this technique is employed any time this joint needs to be separated, then you will never split the joint cover boot ever again ;)

Brian :D

nice one brian.best tip ive heard in a long time.! since my rotty x lab died 2 years ago at the age of 14 yrs (bless him ) I have used his chain choker around the control arm but that will now go back in its box. thankyou for this super alternative.... xsport:}

Thanks, sounds like a better plan.

I have a 70mm exhaust U clamp - will this be too big and slip? Ive also got 2’ crow bar or 2’ pry bar - do you think these will be man enough?

The cars about 25miles from me at my sister’s farm, which is miles from nearest small town, so need to make sure I take everything I need with me. Otherwise it could be an hour and half trip to get something.

The longer the pry bar, the easier it will be. On trucks, I used to use a scaffold tube as an extender! "Give me a bar long enough and I could move the world"! (Paddy Harney 1970);)

Cheers, I’m sure I’ve got about a 5’ length of scaffold tube somewhere.

The bar will be more than long than enough, and a 70mm U bolt should be ok too, the only risk with a larger U bolt is the tendency for the "straight" section to bend.

My own preference is an 18" long crowbar, which is more than long enough ;)

If you are concerned about the U bolt, buy another enroute to the job, it's always handy to have one kicking about in the toolbox :cool:

Brian :D

I too use a short length of smallish chain to strap a 3' length of 1" conduit to the suspension arm , then stamp on it . Works every time :}
But the U-bolt is a nice alternative :}